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Topic: 6th tuning on a Weissenborn? |
Peter Krebs
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 2 Feb 2021 3:25 pm |
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Hello!
I recently picked up a ‘27 Weissenborn Style 1, which is in the shop (Kerry Char’s here in Portland) undergoing some repairs. It should be done sometime this week.
I’d like to have it in some sort of 6th tuning with the 3rd on the top.
Any suggestions on tunings/string gauges, considering how lightly braced these old Weissenborn are?
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you! |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 2 Feb 2021 4:23 pm
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I could be totally wrong, so lads, feel free to slap me down if so. But my understanding, despite some conventional wisdom that says "you can't do C6, its too much tension", is that it really doesn't matter as long as you use string gauges that don't put too much tension. So if you have a favorite tuning...you could still use it, but would want to select your gauges so as to not be too highly tensioned like you might use on a solidbody lap steel, especially given the possible longer scale. So my impulse would be start with what tuning you are actually most fond of playing in, and then maybe smarter/ more experienced folks than me could recommend string gauges. I know when I put C6 on my tricone, it took some experimenting to get the gauges that worked nicely. YMMV!
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 2 Feb 2021 6:20 pm
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Luthier Bill Asher’s String Gauge Advice for C6th Tuning on Weissenborn Guitars:
For new Master builds C6
C E G A C E
.039, .032, .026, .022, .018, .013
For vintage acoustic Weissenborn type guitars use this lighter adjusted set.
C E G A C E
.036, .029, .024, .019, .016, .011
*NOTE always use a wound third string for steel guitar sets
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Mike Bonnice
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 2 Feb 2021 8:34 pm
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Here's a web site that will calculate the tension on each string.
http://chordgen.rattree.co.uk/tensiontool.php?lp
You specify the scale length, and for each string the note, the string diameter, wound or plain. It calculates force for each string and it sums the value for all the strings.
I don't know what the maximum allowable force is on that neck, but presumably you could use this calculator to get string gauges that each are roughly the same force. Without destructive testingto know the upper limit, I suppose you get advice from a luthier on the maximum allowable tension on the neck.
I assumed your scale length was 24 inches and put in this:
E-4-.011-p,
C-4-.016-p,
A-3-.019-w,
G-3-.024-w,
E-3-.030-w, (it doesn't have a 0.029 in its database)
C-3-.036-w
It calculated 138 lb, this seems plausible. But, forces vary a few pounds between each string.
Try this, all the forces are 23 lbs each, 141 lb total.
E-4-.013-p,
C-4-.016-p,
A-3-.021-w,
G-3-.023-w,
E-3-.028-w,
C-3-.035-w
Here's a set that is about 17 lbs each, 105 lbs total:
E-4-.011-p,
C-4-.014-p,
A-3-.018-w,
G-3-.020-w,
E-3-.024-w,
C-3-.030-w
That site shows a classical guitar with nylon strings having a total tension of 89 lbs and an acoustic guitar at 161 lbs.
Maybe start with this light set, see how it sounds and plays. |
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Peter Krebs
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 3 Feb 2021 9:29 am
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| This is perfect! Thank you very much. Pete |
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